Old Cars Weekly Price Guide Help!

[edinmass]

Hi all, I just purchased a 1932 Pierce Arrow series 54 coupe. In the state of Mass we must pay sales tax on the car based on condition and prices listed in the OCW price guide. It's a real bummer because we often have to pay taxes on a higher value than we paid. ( Welcome to Taxachuetts!) :eek: Any help you can post on this years or last years price guide would be a great help; Thanks, Ed

[Rusty_OToole]

Let me get this straight. You can afford a Pierce Arrow but you can't afford to buy a magazine?

According to my Old Cars Price Guide your car is worth between $2480 and $62000 depending on condition. As you do not state the condition, I can't narrow it down any farther than that.

My copy is a year old but should be fairly close. If you want to go into a magazine store and sneak a free peek at the latest price, it should be around page 89.

[edinmass]

Thanks Rusty. Everybody knows us Pierce Arrow guys are tight! I was just wondering how much the man was going to try and stick it too me for....... We no longer have any news stands in the area.... seems that the younger generation is not interested in anything but video games. The car is a very nice #2. I'll try and post my first photo...... Thanks!

[edinmass]

Another shot.....

[Steve Moskowitz]

Remember that the Pierce-Arrow Society has their library within the AACA Library & Research Center in Hershey. Boy I am glad I am no longer a Bay Stater with that goofy law. Almost shocking that they would use one guide as the basis for the tax! Good luck and nice car! Hope you can afford the gas after the tax. (born and raised in the Berkshires)

[Paul Dobbin]

Nice old car! Many States do that sort of taxing on personal property like antique cars. They have a basis to start from. I suspect if you can prove you paid less than the book says, they'll adjust. Then you get into the old is it a #2 or a #1 discussion (Remember to non collectors, all old cars with shiny paint are "mint".)

My experience with OWC prices on Pre WWII car are way to low. I wouldn't sell any of my #3 cars for the #1 price and would buy all I could find at their prices. (I collect Fords and we're all nuts).

I think the reason is most of the cars in the older bracket are not sold at auction like the muscle cars and therefore getting accurate data is hard when nobody reports the sale to OCW. I also beleive that most vehicles of this vintage are sold without ever being advertised. Mr X dies and Mrs. X sells to old friend Mr. Y or to someone Mr. Y knows who is looking for a car like Mr.. X & Mr. Y both collected. Nobody tells OCW. None of the cars I presently own were ever advertised or reported to OCW.

For the reasons stated above, I'd rather pay the tax on the OCW price than what I paid, if I had a choice.

[msmazcol]

My question has always been just how many times can you tax the same item?

[Rusty_OToole]

A #2 car would be $43400.

msmazcol I believe there is land in the old world where someone has collected taxes every year for 5000 years or more. In other words the collecting of taxes has no limit.

They say there is no escaping death and taxes but at least death doesn't keep getting worse every year.

[Paul Dobbin]

The answer to "how many times can you tax the same item?", is once per sale.

Unless it's property tax, then once a year.

Florida has no Income Tax or Personal Property Tax, but they'll tax you licence plate

annually unless it's a 1945 or older.

[DLynskey]

I suspect if you can prove you paid less than the book says, they'll adjust.

Not in North Carolina. About 7 years go I sold a rusty, basket case 1949 Chevrolet to a teenager for $400. I went with him to be sure he transfered the registration. Their book said a 1949 Chevrolet was worth $3000 and that was that. No adjustment possible. He had rounded up the cash to cover the registration with enough left over to stop at McDonalds on the way home. I had to give him the money for the sales tax (based on their $3000 evaluation).

Don

[Marty Roth]

Hi Ed, - and thanks for the advice on the 80 Series Touring I didn't buy,

Here in Louisiana our tax is a combination of both State, and Parish (county) tax; ours is ONLY 8-3/4%. Local contracted agencies may try to increase / inflate the value at times because they get a percentage of collected fees. The consumer can, however, go directly to the State Headquarters, and they are, or were previously instructed to accept the value stated on the Bill-of-Sale as the basis for the taxed amount. This, of course, occurs with each resale. Vehicles can also be donated with an "Act-of-Donation" in lieu of purchase. In the past, this type of transaction was limited to certain family members, but in recent years the relationship requirement was eliminated.

This likely does not help you now, but many of us are repeatedly taxed, and taxed again - not just in Taxachussets.

Regards,

Marty

[trimacar]

Heck, Ed, there's a simple solution, sell the coupe to me and you won't have to pay ANY taxes! Of course, after robbing the bank to pay you for the car, I might have to wait a while to register in Virginia, don't think the DMV has offices in jails.

[Guest billybird]

Legalized stealing is a very lucrative operation, and when they waste what they have stolen, they steal more . Throw the stones if you must, but thats how I feel.

[edinmass]

Hi Dave, We always drive it like we stole it!:eek: John and I spent the last two weeks sorting out the car. Next time I see you I'll let you take it for a spin. The 32 gearbox sure shifts great. Going to get a set of white walls and trim rings on it later this summer. Then we will paint the wheels a darker green than the body and get rid of the "S**T" brown colur.

[nailhead9]

I subscribe to OCW price guide and would to glad to help. My suggestion would be classify our car close to what you paid.

Warren

[Guest RickHorne]

Too bad ya'll aren't down in Dixie here in Georgia!

NO SALES TAX on a private sale of any automobile no matter what the selling price (on used/collector cars bought from dealers you do have to pay state sales tax of 7%)

.......and your license tag for anything 25 years or older is a flat $25 bucks.

[edinmass]

Rick....... with all the taxes I pay up here I could buy a nice open Pierce Arrow EVERY year. Hope to see you and Liz in Rochester. Ed

[Guest RickHorne]

And snow is RARE in Georgia! Have a safe trip to Rochester and Liz and I will see you there.